John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 9. Then Balak the son of Zippor, the king of Moab, arose , etc.] Being alarmed with what Israel had done to the two kings of the Amorites, and by their near approach to the borders of his kingdom: and warred against Israel ; he fully designed it, and purpose is put for action, as Kimchi observes; he prepared for it, proclaimed war, and commenced it, though he did not come to a battle, he made use of stratagems and wiles, and magical arts, to hurt them, and sent for Balaam to curse them, that they both together might smite the Israelites, and drive them out of the land, ( Numbers 22:6); so his fighting is interpreted by the next clause: and sent and called Balaam the son of Beor to curse you ; by which means he hoped to prevail in battle, and get the victory over them; but not being able to bring this about, durst not engage in battle with them.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-14 - We must never think our work for God done, till our life is done. If he lengthen out our days beyond what we expected, like those of Joshua, it is because he has some further service for us to do. He who aims at the same mind which was in Christ Jesus, will glory in bearing the las testimony to his Saviour's goodness, and in telling to all around, the obligations with which the unmerited goodness of God has bound him. The assembly came together in a solemn religious manner. Joshua spake to them in God's name, and as from him. His sermon consists of doctrin and application. The doctrinal part is a history of the great thing God had done for his people, and for their fathers before them. The application of this history of God's mercies to them, is an exhortatio to fear and serve God, in gratitude for his favour, and that it migh be continued.
Original Hebrew ויקם6965 בלק1111 בן1121 צפור6834 מלך4428 מואב4124 וילחם3898 בישׂראל3478 וישׁלח7971 ויקרא7121 לבלעם1109 בן1121 בעור1160 לקלל7043 אתכם׃853
